HEAT PROMPTS ANIMAL WALK TIME CHANGE

It may not have been an extravaganza, but it was something out of the ordinary.

The "Grand Circus Walk" that strolled down Broadway and Sprigg streets in Cape Girardeau Monday happened four hours ahead of schedule and included 13 elephants, about 30 horses, four llamas and three camels.

According to officials at the Show Me Center, where the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is performing today and Wednesday, the circus walk was moved up to 1 p.m. at the request of Ringling's animal trainers.

"They decided they didn't want to keep the animals in the heat until 5 p.m.," said David Ross, Show Me Center director. "They had been on the train for two days traveling and it was more important that they take care of the animals so they didn't get ill from the heat."

The animals travel on the Ringling train, which arrived in Cape Girardeau at 2 a.m., Monday about four hours ahead of schedule, Ross said. He said he was notified at about 9 a.m. that the walk would be moved up.

The walk included fewer animals than many people had expected and a lot less fanfare.

"The animal walk itself is not entertainment oriented; it is to get the animals from the train to the circus," Ross explained. "It's not orchestrated as an entertainment event."

He said the animals were not "dressed up" for the walk as they appear in the circus.

People may have expected the animals to be in costume and the parade to be showier, he said. "That could be a mistake on our part, getting excited about 17 elephants walking down the street," he said. "I mean, it's something you don't see everyday, but it's not the circus."

After the last show Wednesday night, the circus animals will be walked back to the train, Ross said. He said they won't all be walked at the same time and there will be no parade.

Ross said good seats are still available for all four performances.